Roll handling apparatus



Oct 6. 1931.

VON DER HORST ROLL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 25,. 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 6, 1931. VON DER HORST 1,826,107

iROLL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 25, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 6, 1931. F. VON DER HORST ROLL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 g fwd Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK VON DER HORST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRIBUNE COM-1. PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ROLL HANDLING APPARATUS Application filed June 25, 1927'. Serial No. 201,381.

} This invention relates to apparatus for handling the large rolls of paper which are used in newspaper printing plants.

.The invention may be considered as being in the nature of an improvement upon the apparatus-shown and described in my pending application Serial No. 713,937, filed May 17, 192 1, and has for its principal object the provision in a roll handling system of a roll turning device, which, in the preferred form shown in the drawings, is a turntable so mounted and disposed that it. is adapted to receive a roll delivered thereto from an upper level andto changethe direci5 tion of travel'thereof so that it may be delivered to a point at an angle to the direction of originalitravel of the roll, which point is ordinarily ld'c ated in a basement or sub-base ment of theprint'ing plant beneath the level '20 at which the turn-table is located. The rolls,

as stated in my co-pending application above i mentioned, are adapted to be received from a freight car or ship, and the system in which the present invention is embodied is for the 23 purpose of transferri them from the point of receipt to a point of storage or use with the least possible handling and with a minimum of physical labor.

Other objects and advantages. of the ine vention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings, I Figure 1 is an elevational and sectional view of the turn-table and associated parts of the apparatus in which mv invention is v embodied. the view being taken from the 40'left in Fig.3;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on the section line 2-2 in Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a plan view, taken on the plane 33 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagonal section taken substantially upon the line 4:l in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a schematic view, showing the roll handling apparatus or system in which the invention is exemplified.

Certain parts of the apparatus of this inventi on are, or may be, substantially the same as the corresponding parts fully shown and described in my co-pending application above identified and for this reason, as well as because the details of such parts are not involved in the present invention, they have either been omitted orshown only diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings.

I On said drawings I have shown an upper floor 11, upon which the rolls 12 are adapted to be delivered from'a freight car or a truck, or from a boat, in accordance with the transportation facilities of the plant, it being ordinarily necessary, however, to transfer the rolls from this receiving floor to a lower level, usually a basement or sub-basement, in which the rolls are stored and in which the roll stands upon which they are supported as the webis being fed to the press are cus- -?0 tomarily located. The apparatus of my invention is designed with a view to reducing to a minimum the physical labor involved in handling the rolls, which, it will be understood, are very heavy, weighing ordinarily 1500 lbs. or more, and I have also had the object in view of minimizing damage to the rolls in handling.

I In Fig; 5 of" the drawings, I have shown a cradle, or rocker support 13, pivotally mounted in a frame part 13 suitably supported and arranged in an opening 14in the floor 11, preferably at or near the point of receipt of the rolls onto the platform or receiving floor of the plant, and another cradle 55 or rocker support 15, pivotally mounted in an opening 16 in said floor 11, it being understood that any suitable number of said rocker supports 15 may be provided and that they may be located at any convenient point, the one shown in the drawings being merely illustrative of the construction and operation of the apparatus and other similar units being omitted to avoid duplication and to simplify the drawings. The cradle or rocker support 13 is preferably so located that the rolls may be placed directly thereon without the use of trucks, but for delivering said rolls to the support or supports 15, trucks may be used and placed upon tiltable platforms adjacent 9 said supports 15, as shown in my co-pending application, the rolls being delivered from said trucks onto said supports by tilting said platforms, or in any other suitable manner. The rocker supports 13 and 15 are preferably pivoted slightly oil center, as indicated at 17 and 18. respectively, and. are normally held in horizontal position by latches 19 and 21, which are pivotally mounted adjacent said supports and adapted to be operated to re lease the supports for tilting under the weight of the rolls by means of ropes or cables 22 and 23, secured respectively to the lower ends of said latches 19 and 21 and extending over the rollers 24 and 25 to position to be grasped by attendants upon a floor below. which I have indicated by the reference character 26, said ropes or cables being pro vided with pull rings 22 and 23 and being adapted. when pulled. to release the latches 19 and 21 to cause the roll on the associated rocker support to be discharged for delivery to the lower level. The rocker supports 13 and 15 are preferably provided with means such as a spring for returning them to the horizontal position after tilting and the latches 19 and 21 are preferably held in latching position by suitable spring means or the like. neither of said means. however, being shown upon the drawings. I have found it convenient. also. to provide signalling means (not shown) such as an electric light located in av visible position upon the lower level and upon a circuit adapted to be closed by the placing of a roll 12 upon the rocker support.

so that the attendant below may know wheth c! or not a roll is present for delivery and may accordingly release the rocker support for delive y of the roll at the proper time.

An inclined track or guideway 27 is positioned with the upper end thereof immediately below the opening 14 and extends to a horizontal track or guideway 28 upon the lower level 9.6. such inclined traclr 27 being supported by suitable uprights 29 and the horizontal track 28 being supported hv a series of vertical le gs or standards 31. Upon b ing discharoed from the rocker support 13. the roll 12 is directed onto said track 27 and slides by gravity to the lower level, bein stopped at a predetermined point upon the horizontal track 28 by any suitable bumper means, a satisfactory expedient for this purpose having been found to be an automobile tire, or the like. indicated by the reference character 39. and arranged upon said track and against a suitable weight or backing member 33, which, together with the bumper member, is preferably removable from the track or movable to desired position thereon. If it is desired to store or use the rolls, or any thereof, upon the floor 26, they may be rolled off the tr ch 28 onto the floor, as indicated at 3 1, suitable skids and/or tilting supports being provided for this purpose, if desired.

I have also shown an inclined track or guideway 35, leading from beneath the opening 16 in the upper floor 11 to the horizontal track 28 upon the floor 26, this track. or guideway being supported by uprights 36 and having a pivotal joint 37, so that the lower part 38 of said track may be lifted, if desired, to permit rolls delivered onto the track or guideway 28 from other preceding rocker supports to pass or be moved along said track 28 to a. point beyond the junction of the track 35 with said track 28. To facilitate the lifting of the track section 38, a chain, or the like, 39 may be secured to the lower end thereof at one side and may pass over a rod or roller 41, supported by a bracket 42 secured to the ceiling, said chain carrying a weight 43 at the end thereof opposite the end attached to the track section 38.

The roll 12, when delivered onto the track or guideway 35, in manner hereinbefore described, slides endwise by gravity onto the horizontal track or guideway 28 and, while provision may, of course, be made to stop the roll at any desired point upon this horizontal track or guideway, it frequently happens that it is desirable to store or use the rolls at a still lower level and to facilitate;

transfer to such lower level, I provide in the system a turn-table 44, shown rather diagrammatically at the right in Fig. 5 and in detail in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the turn-table H is positioned in line with and ordinarily at the end of the track 28, which latter is provided with rollers 45 to facilitate the travel of the roll therealong and said turn-table is formed with:.

transverse channels a6 extending at right angles to each other and being of proper form and size to receive and supporta roll, as shown in Figs. 1. and 2. A stop, or guide member 4:7, which, in the present instance, ,7

is shown in the form of a curved plate, is positioned adjacent the turn-table and at a sufiicient distance therefrom that the roll when in contact with said stop or guide member is over the center of the turn-table, whichv latter is mounted in inclined position and upon roller bearings, as shown in Fi 1 and 2, so that when free to move, said turn-table is automatically turned a quarter turn by the weight of the roll. This action changes the F ig. 3. When two channels are provided at i right angles to each other, as shown in said Fig. 3, o'neof said channels is always in line 'with the track 28 when the turn-table is at rest, although it will be understood that if 1t is preferred to use a single channel only, the turn-table may be returnedto initial position, after each operation thereof, and I desire italso to be understood that it is contemplated that the turn-table may be r0- tated in either direction in any suitable man ner and may be positively driven by gearing, or other suitable means, if desired.

Said turn-table is mounted for rotation upon an inclined support 53, supported by a framework 54, the mounting of said turntable being such as to enable the same to be easily rotated by the weight of the roll, or otherwise. A spindle 55, centrally located on the bottom of the turntable, is journaled in anti-friction bearings 56 and the structure is supported upon roller bearings 57, and rollers 58, the latter being positioned in suitably spaced relationship upon a circumferential track 59 secured upon the inclined support 53 by means of bolts 61, said rollers 58 being disposed within a peripheral, downwardly opening channel 62 on the bottom of the turn-table.

I have shown upon the drawings a latch member 63, having a handle portion 64 and being normally urged into engagement. with latching lugs 65, 66v on the periphery of the turn-table by means of a spring 67, this latching device being pivoted at 68 and serving to hold the turn-table in fixed position until it is desired to release the same for transfer of the roll to the track 48. It will, of course, be apparent that the latching lugs 65, 66 might be provided in suitably spaced relationship upon the turn-table so that the latter would be stopped by the latch member at each quarter turn, or in any predetermined position, and that any other suitable latching means might be employed within the purview of the invent-ion.

Referring now again to Fig. 5, it will be observed that the track 48 leads to a horizontal track 69, supported upon a third level, or floor, 72, and if it is desired to deliver the rolls onto this floor for storage or use, the' same may be conveniently rolled from the track 69 over transverse skids 73 onto a truck or dolly 74, from which it may be rolled at desired longitudinal posit-ion onto the floor, as shown in said Fig. 5. If it is desired to deliver the rolls to a still lower level, such as that indicated at 7 5 in said Fig. 5, the same may be directed onto a cradle. or rocker support 70, similar to the support 15, which may be interposed at a suitable point in or at the end of the track 69, and upon being discharged from such support,

the rollwmay travel bygravity along an inclined track or gu1deway76 to a horizontal track 77, supported upon said floor 7 5, transverse skids 78 and a truck or dolly 74, similar to the corresponding parts shown upon the floor." 72, being provided if desired.

t will be understood that the invention contemplates the provision of a turn-table 44, or its equivalent, at any desired point in the system where it may be required to change the direction of travel of the roll and that by this means the handling of the roll is greatly facilitated, it being possible by the use of my invention to'keep the roll traveling endwise, even though the courseof travel thereof be changed 1n dlrection, and to remove sald rolls from the tracks or guldeways of the system by rolling the same sidewise, thus avoiding-damage to the paper by crushing the edges of the roll, as sometimes happens if the same are dropped or delivered onto the'tloor endwise.

it thought that the invention and many if its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form. construction and arrangement of the parts without depart-9 ing rorn the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of'its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1 claim: 6 I

1. In a roll handling apparatus, the combination of means for directing aroll from an upper to a lower level by'gravity including a track or skidway, a transfer device comprising a turn-table mounted'in an inclined plane and adapted to receive a roll from said track and to be turned by the weight of "the roll to change the direction of travel of "the latter, and a second track onto which the roll is directed from said turn-table for delivery to a predetermined location. i

2. In a roll handling apparatus, the combination of means for directing a roll from, an

upper to a lower level by gravity including a track or skidway, a turn-table mounted in incl ned position upon said lower level and adapted to receive the rolls from said track and to support the same in unbalanced condition, said turn-table being adapted to be clined position upon said lower level and 1 adapted to receive the rolls from said track and to support the same in unbalanced condi tion, said turn-table being normally locked and being adapted when released to be turned by the weight of the roll to change the direction of travel of the latter, and a second track onto which the roll is directed from said turntable for delivery to a predetermined location.

4. In a roll handling system, the combination of means for directing a roll from an upper to a lower level by gravity, a device comprising a centrally pivoted member mounted in an inclined plane at the lower level for receiving the roll and turning the same to alter the direction of travel thereof, said device being operable by the gravitational action of the roll. and means for directing the turned roll by gravity to a still lower level.

5. In a roll handling system. the combination of means for directing a roll from an upper to a lower level by gravity. a device comprising a centrally pivoted member mounted in an inclined plane at the lower level for receiving the roll and turning the same to alter the direction of travel thereof. said device being operableby the gravitational action of the roll. and means for directing the turned roll by gravity to a still lower level with the roll extending at substantially right angles to its position at the starting level.

6. In a roll handling system. the combination of means for directing a roll from an upper to a lower level by gravity, a device at the lower level for receiving the roll and turning the same to alter the direction of travel thereof. said device being operable by the gra vitational action of the roll. and means for directing the turned roll by gravity to a still lower level. said device comprising a turn-table mounted in inclined position and formed to receive a roll directed from the upper level and to support the same while being turned to position from which it is directed to the bottom level above-mentioned.

7 In a. roll handling system. the combination of means for directing a roll from an upoer to a lower level by gravity, a device at the lower level for receiving the roll and turning the same to alter the direction of travel thereof. said device being operable by the gravitational action of the roll, and means for directing the turned roll by gravity to a still lower level, said device comprising a turntable mounted in inclined position and having a transverse channel into which the roll is adapted to be delivered. a stop for the roll positioned adjacent said turn-table and at such distance therefrom as to stop the roll in unbalanced condition on the turn-table, whereby the turn-table, when free to act under the weight of the roll, will turn the latter and direct the same to the bottom level above mentioned.

8. In a roll handling, apparatus, means for having a pair of transverse channels therein for receiving the roll, said turn-table being adapted to be turned a quarter-turn under the weight of the roll, and means for stopping said turn-table after such quarter-turn, the

table being adapted in arrested position to re-.

ceive another roll from the upper level.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification.

FREDERICK VON DER HORST. 

